In a grand gesture of appreciation, Maharashtra Cricket Association (MCA) President Rohit Pawar declared a substantial prize of Rs. 25 lakh for the triumphant U-19 cricket team of Maharashtra following their victory in the U-19 Vinoo Mankad Trophy. The final match, which unfolded with fervor, witnessed the Maharashtra youngsters showcasing an outstanding team performance, defeating Mumbai by an impressive margin of 115 runs at the prestigious Holker Stadium in Indore.
Rohit Pawar expressed his delight and admiration for the team, stating, “I would like to extend my heartfelt congratulations to the entire team, coaching staff, and the selection committee for this remarkable win. As a token of our pride and appreciation, I am pleased to announce a prize of Rs 25 lakh for the victorious team.”
He went on to say, “This is a moment of immense pride for all of us. We are hopeful that some of these talented young cricketers will go on to represent the Indian national team in the future and continue to excel in their careers.”
In the high-stakes final, Maharashtra took the initiative by setting a formidable target, scoring 316 for 6 in their allotted 50 overs. The batting brilliance of Arshin Kulkarni (133 runs off 104 balls, including 8 boundaries and 6 sixes), Digvijay Patil (74 runs off 55 balls, with 10 boundaries), Sachin Dhas (66 runs off 56 balls, featuring 4 boundaries and 2 sixes), and skipper Kiran Chormale (66 runs off 47 balls, with 4 boundaries and 5 sixes) significantly contributed to this commanding total.
In response, the Mumbai team struggled to keep up and were eventually bowled out for 201 in just 35.2 overs. The standout performance of Swaraj Chavan, who claimed a remarkable five wickets for 42 runs in 7.2 overs, proved pivotal. He received valuable support from Prateek Tiwari (2-37 in 8 overs) and Arshin Kulkarni (1-15 in 3 overs).
The triumph in the U-19 Vinoo Mankad Trophy has opened new doors for these promising cricketers. Seven members of the victorious Maharashtra U-19 team, namely Arshin Kulkarni, Sachin Dhas, Kiran Chormale, Sahil Parakh, Sohan Jamale, Anurag Kawade, and Digvijay Patil, have been selected to represent their state in the U-19 one-day challenger trophy, demonstrating their potential to shine at higher levels of cricket.
